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Run-and-Gun Lens Choices for the Sony FS7

Posted in Video by Corey Bowman || Jan. 7, 2016
Last year I worked as a DP/Camera operator on several television productions, and as
part of my job I assembled a camera package for each shoot. Our trusty Sony EX3 t the
bill perfectly with its sharp zoom lens and ability to record 1080i video for broadcast, but
we needed a second camera for the shoot and didnt want to rent another EX3.

Earlier in 2015 DVS purchased the Sony FS7 4K cinema camera, and we have no regrets
over our decision. The ability to shoot Ultra High Denition video with a at gamma
prole means we have great exibility in post-production. However, these television
productions needed to edit the footage quickly and with very little adjustment to color.
Thankfully, the FS7 can be tuned down to shoot 1080i in Rec. 709 (HD Broadcast color
space) and the footage is a near-match to the EX3s.
The FS7 has a much larger sensor than the EX3, which makes it dicult to nd a zoom
lens to cover all situations. Sony generally recommends their e-mount 18-105mm f/4
lens as a starter lens for the FS7. While it has a nice focal range and is quite sharp, and at
street price of around $600.00 it is a reasonably good value, trying to pull focus on
Sonys e-mount lenses is an exercise in futility. They use a focus-by-wire system that is
variable depending on how fast one turns the focus ring, and attempting a rack focus is
an incredibly frustrating experience. The same problem plagues the e-mount PZ 18-
200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS, and its rather slow variable aperture makes it a less than stellar
choice for indoor work, but I own this lens and the optical image stabilization, focal
range, and power zoom capabilities really come in handy for fast moving shoots, so it
went in the kit. In order to make up for some of the shortcomings of the Sony lens, I
threw two other lenses in the kit: a Canon FD mount 35-105mm with a constant f/3.5
aperture, and a Sigma 18-35mm with a constant aperture of f/1.7.

The Canon FD 35-105mm f/3.5 is a fantastic lens for this type of work, excepting that it
could stand to be a touch wider. This thirty-ish year old lens is reasonably sharp wide
open and is tack sharp when stopped down a touch. The zoom is very well dampened
(far better than the much more expensive stock lens on the EX3) and it is parfocal. It is a
fully manual lens, so one has complete control over the iris, and focusing is repeatable,
with hard stops. One of the chief complaints many have had about the FS7 is its laggy
aperture control, and that is a non-issue with this lens. On one of the outdoor shoots my
producer told me Id get extra points for lens are. That was no problem for this lens,
as its coatings arent as sophisticated as those on newer lenses. This can be addressed
with a lens shade, matte box, or clamp-on French ag. A near awless copy of this lens
can be found for under $100 with a little looking around. I found mine for $40 on ebay.
Youll also need an FD to E-mount adapter which runs around $25.00 for a well-built but
basic version. Keep in mind that the lens does not have image stabilization. If you must
 have that, Canon oers the EF mount 24-105mm f/4 L, which also features an expanded
zoom range and updated glass coatings, but also an electronically controlled iris, for
around $630.00.

For wider shots in low light or to control depth of eld, the $800.00 Sigma 18-35mm
f/1.7 is a no-brainer. We have the EF Mount version, and it is stunningly sharp, even wide
open, and the zoom range is quite useful. Because the FS7s depth-of-eld is shallower
than the EX3s, I tended to use the FS7 for wide shots and the EX3 for close-ups during
two camera setups, so the Sigma was on the camera a lot. I really cant say enough
about how much I like this lens. My only real quibble about it is that it, like most other EF
Mount lenses, has an electronically controlled iris. Of course youll need an EF to E-
mount adapter to use this lens, but many FS7 owners already have one that was given as
a rebate to new buyers.

These lenses covered the vast majority of what I needed to shoot, and the EX3 covered
any extremely wide or telephoto shots. If the FS7 was our only camera I would have
included a Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 just in case we needed something wider than the Sigma
could handle. Also, Sony is releasing an update to the camera that will allow a lossless 2x
crop in HD/2K mode (hopefully button assignable) that should cover most telephoto
needs. With its built-in shoulder pad, ND lters, and sturdy adjustable hand grip, the FS7
is wonderfully suited to use in run-and-gun situations, and the fact that readily available,
inexpensive lens choices are plentiful makes it that much more fun to use.

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